Community Charity Roundup

Giving back is something the Chicago Wolves take pride in. Each season, the team identifies initiatives, both old and new, that allow the most good to be done for charities in the Chicagoland area. We look back at a few of last year's programs.

This season, Wolves left wing Brett Sterling wanted the points he earned to matter more than just on the scoresheet. He recruited fans to “Team Up with 29” on a month-by-month basis and pledge a donation –- however big or small –- for each point he notched. In total, Sterling’s 45 points in 48 games enabled he and his fans to raise more than $8,000 for Chicago Wolves Charities.

Sterling himself was overwhelmed by the support, sending a thankful Tweet after the season:

The sound of barking dogs has become a staple at Chicago Wolves games on Saturday nights for a great cause. Backed by Pet Supplies Plus, EVO, Natural Balance Pet Foods and Nutro, the City of Chicago’s Animal Care and Control came to Allstate Arena once a month to run the Haydar’s Hounds program and find Wolves fans who could provide loving homes for their dogs. They did just that for 80 lucky pups during the 2012-13 season and many more are still available at shelters across the Chicago area.

Wolves players love to read and for the 18th consecutive season they talked about the importance of reading with kids across the Chicago area. But when Brad Hunt or Michael Davies show up at your local library, they do more than just discuss a favorite author --- they bring a few fun props. At each Read to Succeed stop, presented by J.U.L.I.E. and Butternut Bread, one fan was chosen to dress up in the player’s full equipment, from shoulder pads to gloves. And with plenty of time left for autographs, the events were a perfect mix of school and sports.

Hockey is a game that draws players from all kinds of backgrounds and the Wolves were fortunate enough to have some native French speakers eager to engage a younger crowd in their first language. Guillaume Desbiens, Yann Sauve and others made more than a dozen appearances in high school French classes across the city last season, helping students understand the nuances of a dialect they don’t hear often. Students came away with some cool Wolves prizes as well as a new appreciation for a language they love.

The Chicago Wolves live by the philosophy that what we do is about more than a game. Each season, fans write to tell us about amazing stories of perseverance, survival and hope among the many faces who come out to games. Matthew Martin has one such tale. Born with multiple congenital heart defects and a veteran of four open-heart surgeries, Matthew suffered a stroke that rendered him unable to play contact sports. But that setback hasn’t deterred him from his love of hockey. Matthew’s wish was to throw out T-shirts during intermission with Skates, and he did just that on April 20.

If you or someone you know would like a Wolves Wish to be granted, write to us here.

Shirts Off Their Backs

It has become a favorite tradition of Wolves fans to win a jersey off the back of a player after the last regular-season game of the season. Throughout the year, the Wolves sold Pepsi scratch-off tickets for $1. The 20 lucky winners who discovered a grand prize label on their card were on the ice April 21 to meet a player and receive a one-of-a-kind token. In all, the program raised $14,000 for Chicago Wolves Charities.